


Cold Heat

by Heichous_Poncho



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: (if you squint), Alpha Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - the Arctic, Courting Rituals, Cultural Differences, First Kiss, Hypothermia, M/M, Minor Character Death, Mutual Pining, Nesting, Nonbinary Hange Zoë, Omega Eren Yeager, Omega Verse, elements of magic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:54:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 18,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28205685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heichous_Poncho/pseuds/Heichous_Poncho
Summary: The man's stormy gray eyes were glazed over, but his lips moved nevertheless. "...goddess...to be...""What did you say?" Eren leaned closer to hear the delirious man's words.Slowly, the man dragged his gaze to focus on Eren's. "You...you have to be a goddess....so...such beauty....b-bond with me....please."What?----In which Eren's life is forever changed after he meets one very cold man.
Relationships: Levi/Eren Yeager
Comments: 75
Kudos: 375
Collections: 18+ Ereri Discord Server Winter Exchange 2020





	1. Snowdrifts

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Fluffyboots](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fluffyboots/gifts).



> Surprise Fluffy! I'm your gifter and I'm writing you a multi-chaptered fic bc you're amazing (and bc this idea is absolutely too large for a oneshot). Just for you, I decided to take a stab at actually writing omegaverse and doing extensive worldbuilding. I do hope you enjoy this story and its future chapters, i really think you'll like it. <3

Chapter One: Snowdrifts 

It was surprisingly cold for a late summer day in the tundra. Snow from the many storms prior left the ground hard and cold with many of the plants withered from the frosty onslaught. White blanketed the grasses and shrubbery, the only exceptions being the bunched shrubberies and tips of grasses that were tall enough to evade burial. The mostly white field stretched as far as the eye could see, at least until the mountainous lands that stretched high into the sky, almost close enough to reach Ymir’s realm. But those were places that the pack never ventured towards. The mountainous lands were too dangerous with their steep drop-offs and the river that cut deeply through them. It was a place far different from the tundra that Eren had always called home in the summer and even the snowy forests that were his home in the winter.

Eren looked away from the distant mountains and turned his attention once again to the shrubs in front of him. He brushed away the snow covering the plant matter and poked around, looking for anything salvageable. There wasn’t much, but more than he would’ve found any closer to the village. With all of these snowstorms, food and medicine were becoming scarcer. Eren bit back a curse as a sharp thorn pricked his finger through his seal-skin mittens. He rode out long enough for the sun to move its place in the sky at least twice just to find some brush that hadn’t yet shriveled and rotted, but even then, there was still a fair amount of dead brush here. Eren picked through the plants almost absentmindedly. All of the snow and the end of the growing season usually pointed to the migration soon approaching. But this year, it seemed abrupt. One moment the lands were full of plants and grazing caribou, but in the next, they were empty and frozen. If they needed to migrate soon, he had to hope that his stores would be enough for the trip.

“Ow!” Eren jerked his hand back as he swallowed a particularly foul curse. Yet another thorn managed to stick his fingers. He leveled the fiercest glare he could muster towards the thorny stem that succeeded in poking him twice. Stupid plants. Turning his attention to his yield, Eren’s frown lessened. It wasn’t as much as he’d hoped for, but it was still enough to make the trip worthwhile. He managed to find some Labrador Tea stems and leaves, a fair bit of Horsetail, and a few Plantain leaves he could dry out. Eren tossed all save for a few of his findings into the half-full sack he kept on his shoulder. The few he didn’t add, he kept in the palm of his mitten. He looked around and rolled his eyes; of course, there wasn’t anything tall around here. The tallest shrub was at least a couple hundred paces away. If he was going to make a proper offering, his best bet would be with some of the rocks near the river’s edge.

“Come on, Titan,” Eren called out as he started down towards the babbling water. It was cold, but not cold enough for the river to freeze. At least, not yet. Two loud barks sounded, immediately followed by the dragging of his sled against the snow and ice. The river wasn’t too far from him, only fifty or so paces, and Titan dutifully followed right behind him. Once they came to the edge of the rushing waters, Eren knelt down and began searching for the flattest rocks he could find. There weren’t many nearby. At least, nothing that he could stack high enough. A handful or two of pebbles and a bunch of lichens and arctic moss wouldn’t form a good platform for offerings.

Eren huffed and let himself fall out of his crouch and sit in the snow. The crunch of leaves and gravel under his rear was nearly drowned out by the river. “It’s like every time I try to make a good offering, my efforts are always rejected!” Without a moment to think it through, Eren tossed the offerings into the river and watched as they bobbed along with the current, moving further and further away from him. “There,” Eren muttered under his breath. “May Ymir see these offerings wherever she is.”

Titan bumped his shoulder with her nose and laid down beside Eren, catching snow and moss in her black and white fur. Eren buried his hand in her furry head and scratched behind her ears, much to her pleasure given her nuzzle into his hand. He let out a deep sigh as she panted happily, tongue lolling out of her mouth. “I know,” he started with a sigh. “That was a stupid thing to do.” Eren looked over at Titan and smiled softly. “It’s just—this was the last thing, you know? This whole thing with Jean… You don’t think I’m being selfish, do you?” he asked.

Titan merely wagged her tail, thumping the moss under her.

Eren nodded and pursed his lips. “It’s fair to want something more. I don’t want to settle down and find a mate just because it’s convenient.”

Titan licked at Eren’s glove and shook her head, the sinew strung with caribou teeth around her neck sounded a pretty tune as they clinked against each other.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Eren continued. “It doesn’t matter that Jean’s a good alpha or that I already ate most of his courting gifts. I don’t want to mate or bond with Jean; ending our mating trial was the best thing to do. If I pretended otherwise, that wouldn’t be fair to either one of us.” Eren paused his scratching, earning a short-lived howl, to stare hard at the river waters sloshing past. “Maybe I’m not meant to find a mate. Maybe I’m just supposed to be the pack’s unmated omega Healer.”

Titan whined and buried her nose into Eren’s thigh before sneezing once and looking up at Eren with her sharp, brown eyes. 

Eren chuckled and pet Titan’s head again. “Yeah, okay you’re right; that’s caribou shit. After four failed marriage trials, it feels a lot more like that now, though.”

Eren looked up at the sky. Dark gray clouds were starting to creep past the mountains. Another snowfall was on the way. With another sigh, Eren pushed himself off the ground. If more snow was coming, he’d best get back as soon as he could. After securing his only half-full sack on his shoulder, Eren brushed the snow off his rear. He raised his fur hood and tied the cord under his chin, tightening the hide over his ears and cheeks. It was just shy of ridiculous that he already had to wear his large winter hood over his thinner summer parka, but with all the spontaneous snowfall, he’d rather look ridiculous than freeze his ears off. Titan leaped to her feet beside him, treading lightly on the snow with her wagging tail. After a quick once over, Eren nodded and stepped onto the sled. No damages to repair, no knots to retie—they were ready to go. Titan let out a short howl in agreement and started running, pulling them away from the river and back towards the village.

By the time Eren made it into the village, the wind managed to whip a moderately light snowfall into a small blizzard. Any sight of tundra’s shrubbery was gone, buried under the nearly knee-deep snow that had fallen. The village paths were all but empty, with only the indentations of footprints, pawprints, and sled tracks to show anyone had even been that way. Eren squinted in the storm as he rode into the village. Thankfully, the winds were not as strong here. Instead, the snow fell in thick, large flakes. But despite the weather, he still managed to make out a few people who were outside, adding more skins to their huts. Eren tried to nod hello to a few of them but quickly gave up. They could probably just barely see him, let alone make out the fact that he was bidding them hello while on a moving sled.

Eren didn’t have to steer Titan as she ran around the right corners up to their hut. Thanks to the storm clouds making the sky overcast, he could barely tell how long it took to even get home. He’d been caught in worse, sure, but that happened when he was gathering pine needles with Armin and a couple of other sled dogs. They also weren’t too far away from the village. But knowing his mother, she’d probably still be worried after him. 

Eren breathed out a sigh of relief once he saw the familiar outline of his home. The whimsical and unevenly shaped hut of his family home was always what his father preferred to set up, claiming it made it easier to spot in the dark—as if Titan wouldn’t be able to smell her way to the right den. It was strange, especially since no one else in the village did the same, but Eren couldn’t deny the fuzzy warmth that bloomed in his chest whenever he saw it. Even this morning, before he left, he added a few more skins on the top of the hut just in case. Although given the small blizzard raging, he doubted they made much of a difference. Titan slowed to a trot outside of the hut and howled loudly. Eren slid off the sled and licked his dry, chapped lips as he started unfastening Titan from her harness. Eren almost wanted to swear again as his trembling fingers slipped on the ties. He couldn’t wait to warm up inside and maybe get something to eat.

“Good girl,” he whispered into her ear as he undid the last latch and brushed off as much as he could of the snow that managed to accumulate on her coat. “You did great today.” Titan bumped her head against Eren’s before bounding past the bear hide and into the hut.

After securing the sled to the hut, Eren followed suit, pushing aside the weighted bear hide and stepping into the hut.

Immediately, warmth smacked him in the face. Eren wanted to let himself sprawl out on the floor next to the entrance Firebowl and thaw himself out. Much like what Titan was doing. Titan had found her spot on her bed of furs on the center of the floor and right next to his mother, Carla, who was rubbing her stomach and cooing in quiet whispers to her. Titan was panting and tail wagging at the attention. Laid out in front of his mother’s crossed legs was a parka, a threaded needle, and a small bag of pebbles. His mother glanced up at the sound of the bear hide moving yet again. Her long hair was down and mostly tucked behind her ears, as a few strands fell into her face.

“Eren?”

“Hey, Mom,” Eren said as he started undressing. Now that he was inside, all the snow on himself was melting all too quickly. The first to come off was his hood, and he tossed it onto the floor, careful not to place it too close to the entrance’s Firebowl. The last thing he needed now was for one of the bowl’s flames to set his clothing alight. He tossed down his sack of findings and raised his voice as he hoisted his summer parka over his head. “How was your day? I didn’t find that much out there.”

His mother just looked at him with wide eyes as he tossed down the parka. “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be staying with Jean.”

Eren flinched as he bent to unclasp his boots. _Fuck._ “I, uh, well…”

Carla sighed and withdrew her hands from Titan’s fur. “That makes four now, doesn’t it?”

Eren pulled off his boots with probably a bit more vitriol than necessary. “It just wasn’t working for me.”

“What wasn’t working?” Carla asked softly, her head tilted and eyes warm.

Eren loosened the ties on his gloves and let out a deep breath. “Anything with Jean.”

“I thought you liked this one,” Carla said. “You took to all of his courting gifts.”

“I know,” Eren said as he finally peeled off his gloves and tossed them on top of his summer parka. He left the bag of his scavenged successes on the ground beside his wet clothes and quickly crossed the floor to sit beside his mother. He didn’t try to shrug off her arms as she gathered him as close as she could without placing him on her lap. Quiet, gentle rumbles of his mother’s croon reverberated in her chest. Eren breathed out as he felt the tension from exhaustion seep out of him. He let himself rest his head on her shoulder, breathing in her scent that never failed to relax him and make him think of happier times as a pup. He couldn’t help but chuckle at all the trouble he used to get into with the other pups. But the sweetness of her scent was tinged now with an undercurrent of sadness. A saddened calm—that seemed to be the perpetual state of things recently. It wasn’t unexpected and it lessened over time, but it was still there, lingering in the background. Still, sad or happy, a mother’s scent always calmed her pup and though her scent permeated each fur around them, there was nothing quite like smelling it directly. Scenting one’s mother was a thing for pups, and though Eren knew he was far too old to be acting like a pup—this would be his twentieth winter—it was exactly what he needed right now.

Carla ran her fingers through Eren’s nearly jaw-length hair. “Better?”

Eren yawned and pulled away slightly. “Loads.” His eyes trailed down to the parka his mother had been working on. “The design looks nice, by the way.”

“Hmm?”

“On the parka,” he clarified with a point. “The parka’s design. I like the circles on it.” Eren wrinkled his brow as his mother began to laugh. “What? Aren’t they supposed to be circles?”

Carla shook her head. “It’s not done. It’s supposed to be the moon.”

“Oh.” Eren bit down on his cheek to stop the smile from taking over his face. It wasn’t fair to laugh—the design wasn’t done and he couldn’t bead for shit. But his attempt at a straight face was a failure, as proven by his mother’s stern tug of his ear. Eren swatted her hand away playfully. Maybe a change of topic was in order. “Did Erwin come by like Hanji said?”

“He did,” Carla said. She released her hold on his ear and resumed threading her hands through his hair. “He and Hanji been watching the caribou carefully, and they both think they’re beginning to move.”

“Already?”

“Well, all of this snow isn’t just less food for us, it’s less for them. The growing season has already ended for this summer. Why stay where there is no food? If they are migrating, then it is time for us to do the same.”

Eren bit his lip. “Geez. It’s a good thing that I went scavenging today, then. When does the pack move? During the new moon?”

“If the snow eases overnight, Erwin wants to leave tomorrow.”

Eren pushed himself off his mother’s shoulder. “Tomorrow? When? Do we even have enough food prepared?”

Carla shrugged and placed her hands in her lap. “We must. Erwin wouldn’t suggest it if we weren’t prepared. I wouldn’t worry about it too much, dear. The alphas will still hunt while we travel.”

Eren sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. At least it was nearly as warm as the rest of his body now. “It’s not the alphas I’m worrying about. Now that Dad…” Eren faltered as the familiar scent of grief and pain flared in their small den. He lowered his hand and laid it over his mother’s. “I’m sorry. I just meant that since this is my first migration as the pack’s Healer, I have to make sure we have enough leaves and roots. People always get sick during the migration and with this one starting early. Isn’t it better to be over-prepared?”

“It’s always better to be over-prepared, but we’re also not understocked on anything, Eren,” Carla said. “You went scavenging today, right? How well did you fare?”

“Better than if I stayed nearby, but still not that much. I found about half a sack’s worth of tea treatments.”

“Do you think you could find more before the pack leaves?”

Eren scratched his ear. Truthfully, he wasn’t looking as hard as he could have been. And there were still the other lands he usually picked through, down near the river’s split. Picking by the split always left him a sizable haul. But it was a long journey; the sun would rise and fall in the time it’d take him to arrive, gather, and leave. If he went early, well before even the sun rose, then maybe this could work. “I could always try the river’s split. There’s always a lot there.”

His mother furrowed her brow. “The river’s split? That’s a long journey.”

“Well, everyone has to pack up their belongings and take down their huts. Someone has to ready the food supplies as well as the dogs. If I’m fast with my gathering, I should be back before the sun sets and Erwin won’t be too mad about it,” Eren said. “I’ll have to go as soon as the snow stops, maybe even before that.”

“Don’t doubt this storm, Eren,” Carla said and crossed her arms. “All it takes is some low visibility to veer into the river accidentally.”

Eren raised both hands. “I’m not. I’ll dress warmly and take another dog with Titan so we can go faster.” His mother still didn’t look convinced. “I won’t go in the snow unless it’s absolutely necessary. Promise.”

Carla’s frown didn’t waver, and her scent was becoming more bitter by the second. “I don’t like this. It doesn’t matter how fast you go if it starts snowing again. And what if a wolf starts chasing you? Or a polar bear?”

Eren laughed as he brushed his hair behind his ear. “It’s still the summer months. Nothing’s going to be chasing me.”

“Eren.”

“But just to ease your mind, I’ll bring my knife and a couple arrows.”

His mother’s lips were still pressed firmly in a tight line, but Eren could tell her scent’s rancidness was diminishing. “I’d rather you still bring an alpha with you.”

“No,” Eren said quickly. “After all of this with Jean… I don’t want to start any fights between him and the other alphas. I’d rather just be known as a difficult omega.”

“Don’t say that,” Carla said. “You want a mate you can bond with; that’s not being difficult.”

Eren shrugged. “Either way, I’m not taking anyone with me; they’ll just slow the dogs down and will gather hare droppings thinking it’s medicine.”

His mother still kept her glare but sighed. Her shoulders slumped as her arid scents vanished from the air, replaced with a certain earthiness. “You’ll go no matter what I say, won’t you?” Eren squeezed her hand and offered a smile he hoped wasn’t too mischievous. The answer was yes, but he didn’t need to actually say that. “You best get some sleep, then. There’s some fish if you want it over by the bedside Firebowl.” 

Eren nodded and stood up, stretching his legs and arms as he did so. Stepping over Titan, he made his way to their bedside Firebowl. Its placement wasn’t ideal for cooking, as now the smell of fish would linger in his sleeping furs, but it was in the best place to keep their heads warm. He checked on the seal-oil in the stone bowl and poked the burning wick with the fire poker beside the bowl. The flames bounced as he fiddled with the wick, but they looked set to burn overnight. Glancing at the fish, Eren decided to pass on it. He snacked enough on the way home with some berries he found. Instead, he curled into his bed of furs and tried not to think about how he’d be out on the sled in only a little bit.

* * *

The blizzard wound down to a steady, but gentle snowfall by the time Eren slipped out in the morning. As he planned, the sun had not risen yet, but the heavy clouds from yesterday were nowhere to be found. Only a few thin gray clouds stretched across the blue sky. Hopefully with the mostly clear skies, a smooth day of riding would also be in store for him. He emptied his collecting sack and brought it along with a few others to the sled. With a quick check of the sled and finishing the fish from the night before, Eren decided it was time to head out. Once he secured Titan and another dog, Rogue, to his sled, he started on the long journey.

Eren smiled under his face covering as he rode out onto the tundra. There were few things he loved more than going for a ride with the dogs. The cold air and tiny snowflakes stung the few patches of skin they managed to nick, but he didn’t mind too much. Not many managed to float directly into his eyes, thanks in part to his squinting. The snow reflected the moonlight beautifully, but with no clouds to temper the brightness of the light and nothing growing from the land to hinder it, the flat, snowy fields merely glowed everywhere the moonlight touched. If he wasn’t so pressed for time, he would’ve stopped the dogs and just looked out at the endless snowfields, the mountains a faint blue outline along the horizon.

Eren looked up at the empty sky. Soon, he’d be able to see the Dancing Paths. They lit up the entire night sky every winter with their winding, curvy, green and purplish trails. They cut through the stars and changed their pattern every couple of moons. They were breathtakingly beautiful, especially in the sky above the winter village where the trees stretched out high and above them all, the closest any of them would come to scratching Ymir’s realm. A pang resonated in Eren’s heart. Every time his mother would tell him about the Dancing Paths and the tall trees, his father would interrupt with, “Well, the closest second only to the birds.”

He’d have to interrupt himself now.

A howl tore Eren from his train of thought. He grabbed his caribou bone knife from his waist but only minutely lowered it when he realized the howl came not from a wolf, but from Rogue.

“Really, Rogue?” Eren said as he let out a breath. “You chose now to do that?” Rogue howled again as he trotted to a stop, forcing Titan to do the same. He sniffed and pawed at the snow before turning his tiny eyes onto Eren. “Look, if you’re going to pee, go ahead and pee.” But Rogue just licked his chops and let out another howl. Titan joined him in the howl, straining to pull the sled forward. Eren raised his eyes to the nearby land, surveying it carefully. Maybe they spotted a wolf? A polar bear cub? Something had to have spooked them. Eren slapped the sled. “Come on, guys. Let’s go, let’s go!”

Rogue’s howling quieted slightly, but he took a step towards his left, nose twitching. _Oh no._ Eren slapped the sled again, this time harder than the last, and cursed under his breath. The last thing he needed was to suddenly get pulled off course when he was only halfway to the destination. But maybe that was exactly what he needed since Ymir and the other gods allowed it to happen. Eren cursed again as Rogue began to run, Titan along with him, and veered them off course. He clung to the sled as they tore across the tundra, moving faster than they had all day. Eren could hear his blood pumping in his ears. It felt like his first hunt all over again: the uncertainty, the blindness. The dogs had to have seen, heard, or smelled _something_ to make them act up, and now, he’d have to be ready to either hunt it or flee. Hopefully whatever it was, he’d be able to steer them away. He gave his offerings, he wasn’t wasteful, and he shared what he had with the pack—that had to be enough. Death before finding a mate; what a lousy way to go. Eren shook his head and turned his focus back onto his surroundings. He wasn’t going to die, he was going to fight whatever he was being dragged to.

Snowdrifts piled almost as tall as himself surrounded them the further they went into the field. The snow and wind must have been heavier here than by the village. Eren raised his knife again as Rogue began to slow down. The dog raised his nose again, scenting the air once more before pulling them towards a snowdrift just a little way off. Rogue whined before he started digging through the snow, tail wagging faster than Eren had ever seen it before.

A snowdrift? Really? Eren rolled his eyes as he sheathed his weapon. He tugged his face covering down under his chin and groaned. They were barely halfway to the river’s split and of course, now’s when Rogue decided to live up to his reputation. Everyone knew Rogue was a strong puller but loved to pull people off course.

“I should’ve taken Tund,” Eren said aloud. He leaned over the sled’s edge to take a closer look at the snowdrift. It didn’t look like the others—it wasn’t smooth like snow displaced by the wind. This one was short and misshapen with deep indentations that were only shallowly covered in snow. Maybe there was an animal trapped inside. Or maybe the other animals already got to whatever poor creature froze within it. “Rogue, give it up,” Eren said as he slapped the sled and gave a sharp tug on the reigns. “There’s no food in there.” And like he’d been doing since this snowdrift caught his attention, Rogue continued to ignore the commands. _For the love of—you’ve got to be kidding me._ Eren finally hopped off the sled. Despite the massive snowdrifts, the snow wasn’t too deep in front of this drift; it only reached around the middle of his shins. Eren wadded through the snow to the front of the sled where Rogue was digging. There was a small patch of grasses that Rogue managed to dig free, but he had long since moved on from the patch to the snowdrift itself. Maybe there really was something in the drift.

“What are you—” Eren cut himself off as he took in exactly what Rogue was digging around.

A bent leg was sticking out of the snowdrift.

A bent human leg.

Oh…

“Shit.” 

Eren ran forward, almost knocking Rogue over in his hasty scramble to help the buried person. Cupping his hands, he dug at the snow frantically, pulling out handful after handful. But this was all fresh snow; it was loose and powdery instead of wet and pliable. This was the kind of snow that made building igloos a pain in the ass and damn near impossible. Clawing your way out was probably just as hard, especially in the midst of a storm. Not to mention even being stuck outside during the blizzard was all sorts of unlucky.

Eren cursed as he dug deeper into the drift, resorting to sweeping the snow away from the bent leg with his long arms. Whoever it was inside had to be alive, or at least, was alive when they got stuck. Erwin’s pack was the only one that dwelled this close to the river’s split and crossed the tundra. But they didn’t lay their loved ones to rest on this side of the river. And even if it was a buried body that blew across the river somehow, the person’s leg was bent. The custom was to wrap the bodies before placing them on the sled. Speaking of, where was this person’s sled?

In all of his and Rogue’s panting, Eren almost missed the lowly sound. Eren stopped and held his breath for a moment. He could feel his heart hammering against his ribs and hear the blood coursing through his veins. There it was again: a faint but deep whine. Although, it sounded more like a pained dog, not a person. Eren let his breath go and resumed his efforts. Whatever was buried, he had to be getting close to it. Eren only sped up his efforts alongside Rogue. As he brushed back each seemingly unending layer of snow, finally, he could feel something firm under his gloved hands. Eren leaned closer to the surface and brushed the snow off as much as he could. There, under his fingertips, was a face and the makings of a fur hood and clothing around it. This was a person, a frozen person most likely. Eren ran his hands down the person’s neck until he came to grip their shoulders. Great. Now all he needed to do was pull them out. No time to panic or worry about weight. Just pull them out and check if they were still breathing. Eren rocked back on his heels once and took a deep breath. Don’t panic, now wasn’t the time to panic. This was just like his first hunt. He found his prey, now he needed to load it onto the sled. With a final lick to his lips, Eren said a quick prayer to Ymir and heaved as hard as he could.

Ymir must have been listening. With one tug, Eren managed to free most of the person—a man, apparently—from the snowdrift. He stumbled back against the sled with the frozen man slouched in his arms and unmoving. Rogue howled again as another large red and white shape tumbled out from the same hole the man was in moments prior. It was a dog. Probably the man’s dog. That explained the earlier whine. Holy shit. Eren looked around wildly. There was nothing nearby, just a frozen man in his arms and his frozen dog in a pile of snow beside him in the middle of nowhere tundra. He could feel the laughter trying to bubble up within him, but he wasn’t out of the clear yet. He needed to see if the man was even alive. He still couldn’t find a sled and without one, you didn’t survive long. 

Grabbing the man by his armpits, Eren dragged him over the short railing and onto the sled’s frontal loading area. He laid him down and tried to brush off as much snow as he could, careful not to hurt the man any further. Eren took off his mitten and trailed his fingers over the man’s cheek. The skin was as cold and pale as the snow surrounding him moments ago. Black hair poked out from under a furry hood almost as robust as his own, but the man’s eyes laid closed and unmoving. Eren swallowed thickly and nodded his head. Okay. Okay, unmoving eyes weren’t the best of signs. But he found this man. He was literally dragged to find this man—he couldn’t just be dead. Pulse, breath. Eren tugged the man’s stiffened face covering under his chin. If he could feel his breath, then he was alive. Eren lowered his exposed cheek to right under the man’s nose.

Nothing.

“Come on,” Eren muttered. “Give me something.”

But still, nothing. Not even the slightest—

Eren shivered as the smallest puff of air crested the curve of his cheek. He jolted in surprise and leaned away from the man. That…that couldn’t seriously have been his breath. It was so faint. It broke across his face in the same delicate way that a snowflake in a flurry would. It had to be a small breeze, something other than what he thought it was. But just to be sure, Eren lowered his head again and closed his eyes. Just as miraculously, after a short pause, another soft puff blew over his cheek. Unbelievable. It wasn’t a breeze; this was the man’s _breath_.

“Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit,” Eren spewed as he crammed his exposed hand back into his mitten. He’d never seen anything like this before. How could this man be alive? Eren shook his head as he leaped off the sled. He could ask the man later, maybe. If he stayed out here for too much longer, he would definitely die. Eren hurried back to grab the man’s dog too. Resting his cheek near its nose, he found that it _also_ had the shortest puff of breath he’d ever felt. Eren dragged more than carried the dog to his sled and somehow managed to lift it over the sled’s railing. Thank the stars he brought a large piece of animal skins with him. He wrapped it around the two easily, leaving only enough room to breathe. Originally, it was meant to cover anything else he managed to find on the ride back, but— Eren cursed loudly as he continued securing the frozen duo to the sled under the animal skin. The river’s split. He was supposed to find medicine and instead he found a dying man. There was no way he could do both trips. If he brought the man to the river’s split first, he’d die before they made it back to the village.

Eren tied his last knot over the man and dog and straightened his back. The man’s face was stuck in a pained expression with his eyebrows furrowed tightly. His mother was right; they had enough supplies. Not as many as he wanted, but enough. What he needed to do now was get this man home, into the den and start warming his body. Once he was awake, Eren could ask the mountain of questions he had. Stumbling upon a person in the tundra was beyond rare. What was he doing out here? How did he even get here? 

Climbing back on board his sled, Eren tugged on the reins again. With two barks that were more howls than a bark, Titan and Rogue pulled them away from the snowdrift. The man’s condition, though unnerving, wasn’t untreatable. Both he and his dog had coldness of the body. All Eren needed to do was warm them up slowly, keep them well-fed, and make sure they had plenty of water. He could do that. Easy. No problems at all, assuming they made it to the village as quickly as possible with no stops. Eren urged the dogs faster and soon they were shooting across the snow, almost as easily as they did when they were only pulling Eren along. The reflective light grays on the snow were starting to fade as morning finally began to break, and with it, the emergence of the landscape’s pure snowy white. Sunrise and he was already on the way home.

* * *

Normally, Eren loved the migration. Five or six nights spent alongside the river and caribou; six or seven days spent sledding across the tundra. There was nothing sweeter than seeing the loom of the tallest trees he’d ever seen and know they were close to the winter settlement’s grounds. Similarly, watching the pack slowly start to store more food for the winter and break out the heavy parkas and pants made his heart race with excitement. But now, the prospect filled Eren with nothing short of dread. He almost wanted to curse as he rode into town and saw that only a few huts remained intact, one of being his and his mother’s. Erwin must have roused everyone early—there was no way else everyone would be so ready with the sun not even at its highest point yet.

But all that mattered was that his hut wasn’t dismantled yet. He could figure out the rest later. Eren pulled on the reins as he steered Rogue and Titan to the side of his hut and quickly stepped off the sled. He could see curious heads glancing his way from the corner of his eye as he quickly brushed off the snow that accumulated on the skin covering the man and dog. Of course, they’d be curious. Coming back with a full sled the morning of the migration would’ve turned a few heads for an alpha. But an omega _and_ the pack Healer? He wasn’t a hunter; had no reason to be out at all. Eren chuckled to himself as he finished brushing off the snow and turned to hurry inside. Once someone found out that he found a frozen man, the stories would never cease. He’d never hear the end of it.

Without stopping to release the dogs from their harnesses, Eren ran into the hut, startling his mother yet again. She jumped where she stood, dropping the furs of her bedding that she was folding.

“Eren!” she cried out and placed a hand on her chest. “Don’t just barge inside like that! Why are you back so soon? Did you forget something?”

But Eren barely heard what she was saying. He needed to get the man and the dog into a warm environment without burning their skin. That meant furs—lots of furs. The only place he could do that was right in his bed. “I found someone,” Eren said quickly and tore back the many layers of furs he used to make a softer bed. “In a snowdrift. He’s practically walking on the Paths.”

“Walking on the- Are you sure he's—?”

His mother faltered out as he ducked back outside of the hut. The skins were readied and now he just needed to drag the man in. At the sled, Eren unfastened the tethers he tied over the man and dog and pulled back the skins. The man still hadn’t changed since he loaded him on the sled: hair still mussed and that look of painful discomfort still in place. Eren hoisted the man up by his armpits once again and dragged him off the sled. He could hear the annoying gasps of shock from the nosy onlookers but didn’t bother trying to shoo them away. Sure, it was scandalous, but at this point, everything Eren did was scandalous. Eren groaned as he heaved the man past the bear hide. The man was nowhere near this heavy the first time he moved him. Maybe the adrenaline was just wearing off now. Eren groaned again and pulled the man deeper into their den. He didn’t stop to take off the man’s boots or clothing at the door, dragging in the fresh snow onto the floor. He could hear his mother saying something loudly, but he didn’t pay too much attention. If it was about the snow, he would clean up the puddles later. For now, he had to get this man into something warm.

Lacking any sort of grace, Eren dumped the man onto his bed and ran back out to grab the dog. For some reason, dragging in the dog brought a chorus of gasps even louder than when he brought in the man. Eren grit his teeth but didn’t roll his eyes. _Didn’t anyone else have anything better to do?_ Once he dragged the dog past the bear hide and away from the pack’s probing eyes, he managed to lug it far enough to lay it on top of Titan’s pile of furs. Warming the dog would be easier than the man since he wouldn’t need as many skins or furs. Eren wrapped each skin carefully over the dog, leaving only enough space for it to breathe. Now onto the man.

Eren turned to lean over his bed and let out a small breath. His mother was already there, leaning over the man and pressing the back of her hand to his face. Eren didn’t bother trying to be modest and bunched the man’s parka right under his chin. Luckily the skins weren’t too stiff to maneuver off him.

“Mom, my spare winter parka and pants,” Eren called out as he let go of the parka in favor of pushing back the man’s hood and wrenching off his gloves. “Did you pull them out yet?”

“I washed and dried them both after you went to sleep,” she said and placed the clothing beside him. “Are you sure he’s alive? His skin is cold as ice.”

“Yes,” Eren breathed out as he slipped the man's arms out of their sleeves. Almost immediately, the man curled them both back towards his chest— _thank Ymir._ What a wonderful sign; he could probably cry. With ease, Eren yanked the parka over the man’s head and tossed it aside. The man had on another thinner shirt underneath. How strange. The man had a winter parka on in the summer months but only wore one thin shirt beneath it. Eren didn’t question the choice for long and instead started to make quick work of the shirt.

A hand rested on his shoulder. “Eren.”

Eren looked away from the man and towards his mother. Her eyes were wide, eyebrows raised and knit. “Eren,” she repeated, this time quieter. “Who is this man? I don’t recognize the beading on his parka.”

“I have no idea,” Eren said. “I would’ve remembered seeing a face like his.” Turning back to the man, he freed the sleeves first and pulled the rest of the shirt over his head. It came off easily and Eren breathed out a sigh of relief. The man’s skin was still very pale and white, but his fingers and hands were a bright red with only minimal swelling. Good signs. 

“Did he travel with anyone? What pack did his sled designate?”

Eren grabbed his own parka and thrust it over the man’s head. “I couldn’t find his sled; it was just him and that dog out there.” There was no reaction to the various grabs and prods Eren subjected the man to as he pulled his arms and through the sleeves and tucked his hands in his armpits. Okay, not so good of a sign. 

His mother paused for a moment. “He has to be an outsider. And even if he’s not, Erwin and Hanji will want to know about this.” She stepped closer for a moment and pressed a quick kiss on the crown of his hair. “I’ll be right back.”

Eren didn’t take his eyes off the man, even after his mother left. He still had yet to make a sound or even move his lips, but Eren could still feel his slow breaths, see his chest rising and falling slowly but steadily. He was never keen on the idea of Erwin or Hanji barging in when he was tending to someone who was sick, but his mother was right. If the man was an outsider, the pack leaders would want to know immediately. Breathing in and holding a deep breath, Eren forced himself to stop moving and calm down. He wasn’t going to do the man or his dog any service by panicking. All he needed to focus on right now was undressing this man and getting him warm. Start with his boots, then his pants. He could do that, easily. Eren waited another beat before letting the air out.

He helped his father save plenty of people from coldness of the body. He’d save this man just like the others. Calmed, Eren tugged the man’s boots off and tossed them by the bear hide and near the Firebowl. His pants followed shortly after but didn’t quite make it as far. Eren slid his own pair of pants over the man’s legs and tied them loosely around his waist. The man was rather small but carved with taut muscle. If they were the same height, Eren doubted any of his clothing would’ve fit the man. After scavenging around for a spare pair for too long of a search, Eren crammed a sock on each foot for good measure and began wrapping the man in as many furs as he could spare.

By the time Erwin, Hanji, and his mother walked in, the man was swaddled and practically buried in Eren’s bed with his dog wrapped just as snugly beside him. Eren himself had taken off his own parka and gloves, finally, and instead, put on his favorite headband. The fur kept his ears and forehead warm, and the beading pattern was gorgeous. The only thing that would’ve made it better was if it wasn’t an old courting gift. Eren nodded in greeting to the pack leaders but remained seated beside the bed, nibbling on some of the black currant berries he packed away for a midday snack. His legs were exhausted from all the sledding yesterday and this morning. Eren tied his small sack of berries shut and placed the bag on his lap before wiping his hands clean on the hide underneath him.

“Hello Eren!” Hanji squealed before running over to look at the man. They didn’t bother wiping their shoes before running in, tracking more snow into the hut. Eren grimaced at the sight. So many new puddles to clean now. “Carla tells us you found an outsider in the tundra. Where was he? How close were you to the Pack?” Hanji practically ripped off their glove in their haste to rest a hand on the man’s cheek. “Oh, he’s freezing. Are you sure he wasn’t at final rest?”

Eren cast Hanji a glare as he leaned over and swatted their probing hand away from the man. “Don’t disturb him! He’s not dead, but he’s got coldness of the body.”

“Must be a bad case,” Erwin said as he loomed over both Eren and the man. “I don’t remember the last time you or your father had to fully wrap someone.”

Eren hummed in agreement. “His breath is slow, but it’s there, thank his lucky stars. And as for where I found him, he was about halfway towards the river’s split and out in the tundra, away from the river.” 

Hanji straightened up and placed their hand on their chin. “Did you see his sled?” 

“No. I’m not sure if he even had one.”

Hanji’s face morphed into one of confusion. “He had to have had one. Crossing the tundra by foot? Only the truly desperate would try something like that, but,” Hanji pointed to the man’s clothing, “his clothes are in excellent condition for someone who was truly desperate.”

“I agree,” Erwin said with a frown. “I want to talk to him when he wakes. His beading pattern looks familiar to me. But to more pressing matters. Eren, how do you expect to care for the man during the migration? The sleds and boats are loaded, and the pack is nearly ready. We’ll be traveling in the cold weather at best and through another series of surprise storms at worst.” 

“I, uh, well…” Eren paused and looked at the three pairs of eyes staring at him. Hanji was grinning but looked all but three seconds from poking the man’s cheek again. Erwin already looked displeased with his crossed arms and furrowed brow. Even his mother seemed apprehensive as she picked at the few beads she had sewn on her parka. None of them would like his answer, but he didn’t have any other choice. Bracing for the worst, Eren balled his fists. “I think, no, I’ve decided that I’m going to stay here until he’s able to be moved. You’re right Erwin, I can’t treat him properly in this condition while migrating. It’s too dangerous.”

The older three fell silent for a moment.

“Eren, what about the pack? You’re our healer first and foremost,” Erwin said. His voice was no longer the light curiosity it was before. Now it carried the sharp air of authority as the pack leader. A brief thought to roll his eyes crossed Eren’s mind, but that wasn’t the smartest course of action, given the telltale heady musk that began to fill the den. “We’ll need you on the journey.”

Eren squared his shoulders but averted his eyes from Erwin’s. He wasn’t challenging him, just standing firm in his decision. “Mom can make anything I can. She can help the Pack during the migration. Our supplies are adequate, so she shouldn’t have to go gather either.”

“Eren,” Carla said faintly, the word barely audible. “You can’t survive out here during the winter. The caribou are leaving; you won’t be able to—”

“I’m not staying all of winter,” Eren said gently. “I’ll catch up with the pack in a couple days, that’s all. It shouldn’t take more than a couple days until the man’s ready to travel.”

Carla shook her head and stepped closer to him, her voice steadily getting louder. “What do you mean you’ll come later? I can make the same medicine, absolutely, but I will not have my son staying here completely and utterly alone with an outsider. And nevermind crossing the tundra by yourself!”

Eren pushed himself off the floor and stood tall. His mother was angry alright, but he could see her worry just as plainly. “I promise I’ll be safe. And I won’t be alone. Once this man wakes up, I’m sure he’ll help hunt and keep guard.”

“You’re putting a lot of faith in a person you’ve never met before,” Erwin pointed out.

Eren scratched his head and looked down at the thawing man. “I know it’s strange. But…” The man’s face had yet to change. Maybe he needed to adjust the fires. “Ymir and the other gods had to have kept him alive. He was buried in a snowdrift during a blizzard; he should’ve been dead. I’m the one who found him clinging to life. This can’t have been a coincidence; it has to be…it has to mean more. If he doesn’t wish to stay afterward with the pack, that’s his choice, but at the very least he owes it to me to get me home safely.”

Erwin opened his mouth, but before he could say a word, Hanji interrupted with a bark of laughter. “You two are fretting too much. Let him stay!”

“Hanji!” Carla cried out.

“What? He made a good point!” Hanji strolled over to Eren’s side and slapped his shoulder hard enough to make him wince. “Think of this as a good test for him. Or better, his first big test as the new Healer. He needs to build confidence in his abilities, the Pack needs to build confidence in him, and if all goes well, we can question this newcomer when he awakens! Crossing the tundra without a sled is an act of determination that must be paired with ingenuity. Who knows what he did to survive? It would be a shame to let that work become meaningless since we decided to take him on a deadly journey rather than let him rest.”

“Hanji,” Erwin said, “We can’t just leave Eren behind.”

“We’re not!” Hanji slapped Eren's shoulder again and grinned. Suddenly, migrating alone looked a lot more appealing just to get away from them. “He’s coming on later. I have faith in our fellow omega. Besides, he makes a strong point, Erwin. This season we’ve had early storms, an early migration, and now this man appears without a sled. These have to be signs and we shouldn’t ignore them just for familiarity’s sake.”

Erwin sighed and pinched his nose but didn’t argue against the beta. Instead, he shrugged his shoulders and turned to face Carla. “I won’t pretend I like this but at the very least Eren is a good hunter and a good Healer. Hanji’s right; this will be a great test.”

Eren’s mother pursed her lips as she uncrossed her arms and blinked quickly. Was...was she _crying?_ Carla sniffled once and walked forward to place her hand on Eren’s cheek. Yup. Stubborn tears clung to her eyelashes but didn’t dare fall down her face. Her hand was warm and soft and wafted her comforting scent to his nose again. “I don’t approve of this. I’d prefer that you come with the Pack and make do with the man on the way.” Eren opened his mouth to protest but she simply moved her hand to cover his lips. “I’m not done yet. I don’t like any of this, but, I know the look in your eyes. If this is what you truly believe is the right thing to do, then I won’t stop you.” She removed her hand from his mouth only to lightly smack his cheek. “Keep your bow and arrows near and your knife always on you. Stay inside too. Don’t hunt unless you absolutely need to and get moving as soon as you’re able.” Finally, she smiled and ran her fingers through his hair. “My little pup is turning into a fine young omega.”

“I’m not a pup anymore,” Eren mumbled through her hand and pulled her close for a hug. “I promise I’ll be safe.”

“Do you remember the route?”

Eren broke away from his hug to answer Erwin. He didn’t notice when he and Hanji made their way to the bear hide again. “Yes. I’ll keep us alongside the river so we can fish, but we should still make it in the same time.”

Erwin nodded and pushed the hide back. “Be safe and well, Eren,” he said. Hanji echoed Erwin’s farewell in perhaps the loudest voice they could muster and followed the other Pack Leader out of the hut.

In almost too short a time, Eren watched from the bear hide as the other pack members finished loading their dens onto the sleds. After checking once more on the man and his dog, he helped secure his mother’s furs and belongings onto Armin’s sled and bid them both a safe journey with few tears and many tight hugs. Armin practically forced a map of the migration trail into Eren's hands as he gave Eren a brief hug and pushed him away. Eren slid the map up his sleeve and left the two to say goodbye and safe travels to his other friends. He'd miss seeing them all, even Jean to some extent, but it wasn't for too long. Though, they seemed to assume he would run into peril, what with their teary goodbyes, the onslaught of curses, hugs, and threats of death should anything happen before they could see him again. Before long, the crack of Erwin's whip sounded and the chorus of twenty sleds and even more dogs running and scrapping across the snow-filled the air. Eren watched them go for as long as he could, long past the moment when the puffy white cloud of disturbed snow blended into the horizon. 


	2. Thawing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> note: if you are trying to treat someone with moderate to severe hypothermia, don't do what Eren does.  
> And with that disclaimer, on to the chapter!

Chapter Two: Thawing

Cold and snow went hand in hand. Without the cold, the snow could not exist; it owed its life to the freezing temperatures. Neither were dangerous; they were just part of life. Snow turned everything around them into a beautiful white and icy landscape and allowed them to make sturdy shelters out of it. It was comforting, nurturing even. They fell from Ymir’s realm and brought joy to the pups. A single snowflake couldn’t do much, but thousands? Millions? Together they announced the beginning of the migration for caribou and the pack alike. Still, one had to treat them with care and respect. If you acted foolishly, the cold wouldn’t hesitate to freeze you as slow or fast as it wanted; the snow would bury and rot the plants you picked, and both would make hunting more difficult. And yet, even if you weren’t foolish, you had to treat them with respect: dress warmly in layers of caribou and sealskins, keep good shelter, and protect your dog and sled. Everyone knew that, even the other packs that visited during the longest day and longest night.

So, why was it that this frozen man wrapped snugly in his bed, was still unresponsive and cold? Eren sat beside the man, frowning as he laid a palm on the man’s cheek. Cold, but warmer than before. His breath was coming faster, but still slower than it should be. What did the man do? Were his offerings that of caribou shit? The grubby remains of polar bear fat? Was he wasteful? Or maybe it was something Eren wasn’t doing? Gnawing at his lip, Eren wracked his brain. Coldness of the body wasn’t hard to treat, but it was incredibly finicky. Some people just needed a few extra furs and warm teas. Most just needed to change out of their wet clothes and bundle up again, maybe spend some more time by a large Firebowl. But this man seemed to require something different. Since the pack left, the sun rose to its highest point in the sky and had begun to sink, and yet, the man still had yet to make significant progress in warming and waking. Eren groaned and buried his face in the mound of furs in front of him. 

“If you have any advice, Dad,” Eren mumbled, “I promise I’m listening. I’ll even take a long-winded speech if you’re up to it.” He strained his ears, trying to pick up even the faintest of sounds in the wind outside. But there was no voice, not even a whisper, offering anything. Eren turned his face to the side to breathe and bit down on the inside of his cheek as his eyes began to sting. He should’ve given a proper offering instead of tossing those roots and leaves down the stream. Maybe if he had, he wouldn’t be stuck with no idea what to do. Maybe if he had, Dad would talk to him now.

Eren looked up at the man again. Now that the adrenaline calmed down, he could actually take a long look at him. The ice freezing the man’s hair had long since melted and limp black strands lay on his forehead. His eyebrows, slightly less furrowed, were long and thin. His face was still pale and his expression pinched, but now Eren started noticing the slight bags under his eyes and the long clumped eyelashes that framed his eyes. His nose was small and pointed and matched his chapped bluish lips, small but plump in their pout. Eren swallowed and dragged his eyes back up to the man’s closed eyes. In a word, he looked, well…

Eren lurched up from his slump, cheeks burning. That was entirely inappropriate! His first and foremost priority had to be the man’s well-being and nothing else. Nothing! It absolutely had nothing to do with how his own parents first met, and nothing to do with the dangerously curious thoughts beginning to creep up. Eren shook his head promptly and ran a hand through his hair. He needed to preoccupy himself with something. His eyes fell upon the clothes he hastily stripped off the man. Laundry would have to do. It was a boring but necessary task since he was going to need his own clothing back for the travel.

Intermixed with the regular check-up on the man, Eren managed to wash and lay out the man’s clothing to dry by the Firebowl before the moon rose high in the night sky. Drying them fully would take a while, even with the biggest Firebowl to set alight. Normally, he would’ve burned more of the wick so the clothes would dry faster, but he had to steadily warm the man as well as his clothes. For now, that meant gradually lighting more of the wick. Eren trailed his fingers over the man’s clothing. Most of his scent remained in the skins, even after the washing. Although, Eren didn’t mind. At all. The man’s scent was easily the best thing he smelled in years. Without fully processing his actions, Eren raised the man’s damp parka to his nose and breathed in deeply. So many faint scents mixed together, even with his sharp nose, Eren was pretty sure he missed a few. There was the crispness of the river’s scent when it freezes for the first time, the lingering sweetness of the ripest blooms in the growing season, and something else, something fresh and heady, but Eren couldn’t put a name to it. It reminded him of water crashing against the shores of the small islands in the middle of the river’s split.

Eren opened his eyes and lowered the parka from his face. To think, his own furs would be inundated with this scent once the man no longer needed them. He had a feeling he wouldn’t mind much, if at all. He laid out the parka again, taking great care not to loosen any of the beadings. He noticed it first while he was washing, but even more so now. The few times Eren tried to bead his own clothing, he gathered small rocks and seed pits to sew onto his parka. But this man had teeth and rock sewn on his. The teeth ranged from large and sharp to small and dull, and the rocks alternated between white stones and darker ones. The pattern was simple but beautiful too. In the center, there were lines of what looked like waves, shrinking in size the further from the middle they went. It almost looked like a claw mark that slashed the clothing, but it was just intricate beading and color placement. The point of each tooth followed the curve of the line except for the single lines above and below the claw mark. These ones were constructed entirely of three to four sharp teeth and pointed away from the claw mark. Eren traced the edges of the teeth with the tips of his fingers. He’d never seen anything like this before, not even during the festivals where there were beading contests for the most creative patterns.

Eren withdrew his hands and stretched his arms over his head. Who knew a single person could generate this many questions! He doubted the man would find him even half as interesting when he woke. The yawn Eren had been stifling nearly all evening finally tore itself free from his lips and he blinked tiredly afterward. He peeked over at the pile of dogs who made themselves cozy in the spot where his mother’s bed used to be. Titan and Rogue were snuggled around the red and white dog, who was thankfully beginning to shiver and whimper. It’d probably be awake by sunrise. For now, he had enough food for the dogs and himself. If the man awoke, he already melted down enough snow for water and could easily heat it into tea.

Eren stood and started on his nightly check. The bear hide was secure and wouldn’t budge overnight. The entrance Firebowl’s wick was burning well, as was the bedside one. On the bedside bowl, he prodded at the wick until another small section caught fire. The man would need more heat overnight if he started waking. With everything in place, he could allow himself to rest. He still kept his bow and arrows propped next to his bed of furs and double-checked for his knife in his sleeve. No harm in being prepared for anything. Eren checked the man once more and felt relief course through his body. Thank the stars! The man’s eyebrows were less furrowed, and his lips finally beginning to part. It wasn’t much, but it was still something good.

Pulling out the lone polar bear fur his mother forced him to take before she left, Eren climbed onto his bed beside the man. The man might need all of the heat, but between the tiny bit of remaining space on the bed and the floor, Eren chose the bed hands down every time. Pulling the fur up to his cheek, Eren let his tired eyes fall close. He murmured a quick prayer for protection and guidance again and tried to let his mind wander. Things were okay. They’d be just fine. 

* * *

Eren woke with a start. He wasn’t sure what woke him, but whatever it was had his heart racing and legs tensing like he was ready to run. Moonlight streamed through the thin, translucent skin near the top of the den, so the sun could not have risen yet. He gave a quick glance to the man and the dogs. The red and white dog shifted some during the night—a promising sign. And the man was shivering.

Wait.

Eren rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and looked again.

He wasn’t dreaming.

At once, Eren’s sleepy awe washed away. He pushed back his fur and scurried over to the other side of the bed. The man really was shivering quite terribly at this point, eyes squeezed tightly and blue lips trembling as his teeth audibly chattered. Quiet, deep groans escaped his lips as he shivered and seemingly tried to curl up into himself. There were several things to do now. But first was the heat source. Eren turned and leaned over to the Firebowl. The flames were as he left them before he fell asleep, but it was time to increase them yet again. Taking the fire poker from beside the bowl, he prodded the wick until another section caught fire. The seal blubber in the bowl was just about half empty. Dammit. They were going to have to leave soon so he wouldn’t have to refill it himself. Hunting a seal with their meager tools would be difficult at best, deadly at worst. Still, the man needed the heat, so there really wasn’t much he could do about it.

Eren filled a clean caribou hoof with water and poured it into the heating dish over the Firebowl. He didn’t have tamarack bark to steep, but the Labrador Tea stems he found yesterday would have to do. He still had some berries he could crush to feed the man until he was doing well enough to take fish again. Eren reached over for the small sack he kept his fresh berries in and pulled out a handful. They were mostly red currants at this point since he ate the bulk of the black ones. The flat rock and pestle he used to grind them lay beside the sack, just where he left it. He placed the berries on the rock and ground them easily into a clumpy paste, making sure to crush the skins as thoroughly as he could.

“B-b-b…”

Eren jumped and turned around to face the man. He was still shivering, eyes closed, but that deep, scratchy voice had to have come from him. The man trembled harshly again and opened his mouth yet again.

“B-b-b-bel…”

Eren crossed the floor again and patted the mound of furs. “Don’t try to speak,” he said. “You’ll bite your tongue off and choke or bleed to death, whichever one comes first.”

“I-I-z-z-”

“What did I just say?” Eren frowned and pressed the back of his hand on the man’s forehead. His skin was still cool, but he trembled violently at the touch. “Worry about Bell later.”

Eren ran his finger through some of the berry paste and ran it along the man’s lips. The contrast of the berries’ bright red against the man’s pale skin was jarring, like fresh blood on snow. Eren swallowed and forced himself to clear his head. Food. He was feeding the man. He ran another finger of berry paste across the man’s lips despite his groans as he did so.

“Lick your lips,” Eren ordered. “It’s just grounded red currant berries. You need water and food, but until you wake up, this is the best I can give you.”

The man followed Eren’s order without hesitation, a quick pink tongue darting out to catch the paste. Eren watched as the man licked off all of the paste in only three licks. When was this man’s last meal? If he was already hungry before going into the snow, then it wasn’t just coldness of the body he’d have to treat. Eren added another layer of paste onto the man’s lips, this time taking care to add less juice and more pulp. Just as eagerly, the man licked the paste off, nicking his tongue on his chattering teeth only once. As Eren reached out for the third time, the man began to move under the furs.

“’M h-h-h-”

“Hey!”

“H-h-hot.” 

_Oh no._

The man wasn’t just shifting under the furs; he was trying to escape them. His head turned from side to side as he attempted to wiggle his body. Eren wiped his fingers coated with berry paste back onto the flat stone and quickly placed it down beside the Firebowl. “Stop trying to move; you need the heat.” Eren crawled around the dog onto the bed and tossed a leg over the man, straddling him slightly, as he held down the outer furs and narrowed the space for the man to move.

The man didn’t put up too much of a fight, pushing weakly against Eren’s arms from under the furs. “N-n-n-no.”

“Yes, now stop moving! You’re stressing out your heart.” 

At that, the fight seemed to leave the man and he melted back into the bed. Shivers still wracked his body, but his eyebrows were finally relaxed. The blue tinge on his lips was harder to spot too. Eren leaned down, pressing his face close to the man’s nose. Steady puffs of breath crested his cheek; the man must’ve passed out again. A sigh of relief left Eren as he relaxed his grip and rolled off the man. He yawned as he got ready to fall back asleep, though he had a feeling he wouldn’t be getting all that much.

* * *

Eren was right. The next time he blinked his eyes open, sunlight streamed into them. Grumbling curses, he rolled over to check on the man. He was restless again, shifting under the furs and mumbling quietly in that low voice. Eren rubbed his eyes and forced himself to sit up. _He better not try to take those furs off again._ A short howl brought his attention to the other side of the hut. Of course, once the sun rose, so did the dogs. Two pairs of eyes were watching him intently and licking their chops as he stared at them—awaiting their morning fish, probably. He’d feed them both after the morning check-up. With only one long yawn, Eren managed to pull himself to his feet. There was so much to do today, and no one to help him do it all. He filled the caribou hoof with melted water and began filling up the dog’s bowl. What should he start with? Placing the bowl down, Eren turned his sights onto his mound of furs on his bed. There was his answer. After checking the man and dog out, he’d have to check on the sled and food stores. The dogs hadn’t made any fuss overnight, so nothing should’ve snuck by to steal it. Hopefully. The less he had to fish, the better. Hunting he could do, fishing not so much.

The man’s dog was doing remarkably better than the man himself. While it was shivering just the same, its trembles were beginning to calm, while its owner's were still rather violent. Under all of that red and white fur, a new pair of warm, dark brown eyes looked up at Eren blearily and whined. Eren smiled and knelt beside the dog to run his bare fingers through its fur, gently scratching its ears. “Good morning,” he said. “It’s been a while since you were awake, huh?” The dog yawned, displaying its sharp and surprisingly clean teeth, and nuzzled into Eren’s hand. “Don’t worry, you’ll both be okay. I’m going to make sure of it. Promise.” With a final scratch, Eren turned his attention away from the dog and to the man.

He was still shaking, but his skin looked better. His eyelids were still closed, but Eren could see his eyes moving about around under them. His nose and cheeks were reddening, and his lips finally lost their blue tinge, both excellent signs. Eren brushed away the fringe of black hair and rested the back of his hand on the man’s forehead. He was warmer than he was the last time he woke too. After sweeping the hair back in place, Eren leaned his face over to feel the man’s breath. He barely waited a moment for the shaky breaths he was expecting to hit his cheek. And like everything else, they were almost at a normal rate. Thank this man’s luckiest of stars. Eren breathed out a deep breath and blinked rapidly. He could cry when the man woke up. He wasn’t out of the snow yet.

Just as Eren began to raise his head, he froze in place. His nose twitched as another scent wafted into it. Headiness. It was all too similar to Erwin, his father, and even Jean, but at the same time, it was nothing like theirs. This one reminded Eren of the forests surrounding the winter settlement. It had a deep richness with hints of spruce. With the man’s body finally warming itself again, it wasn’t a surprise that his scent glands would’ve started up again, producing small waves of scent that were only now becoming discernable. Eren leaned away from the man and sat back on his heels.

He found an alpha.

A blush crept onto his face. Oh shit. He brought an _alpha_ into his hut. He stayed behind to take care of an _alpha._ Eren squeezed his eyes shut as his face began to burn. Once they arrived in the settlement, that’s the only thing anyone would talk about. Eren Jaeger: fresh out of a mating trial and already sleeping in another alpha’s bed. Of course, he’d tell everyone it wasn’t like that, but gossip didn’t wait for explanations. Armin would be sure to tease him about playing the healer, like in the sun drop and melting ice story, and— Eren cursed loudly; he could _never_ tell Mikasa about this. She’d move back into the pack and follow him around everywhere until he found a mate. And his mother would be beside herself when she found out that he lived with and slept in the same bed as an unknown alpha for almost seven nights. Eren groaned and threw his head back.

“Why am I so unlucky?” he said to no one in particular as he opened his eyes and looked at the translucent skin above him. “I swear I’m sorry for tossing the berries into the river. I’ll never give another shitty offering as long as I live.”

But nothing happened. No miraculous gust of wind, no snow. Instead, the man began to babble again. “B-b-bell. W-where?”

Eren sighed. “Not this again.”

The man curled into himself tighter at the sound of Eren’s voice. “W-w-who?”

Eren reached down to pick up the flat rock he used the day before and the berry sack. “I’m Eren,” he said as he pressed down on the remnants of the paste. It was still wet and warm, thanks to the heat of the den. “These are just red currant berries that I mashed up, okay? You can eat this.” Without more warning, Eren scooped a hearty amount of the paste and smeared it on the man’s bottom lip. The moment Eren’s finger touched the man’s bottom lip, his eyes shot open.

Eren felt more than heard his breath catch at those startling sharp grey eyes. He didn’t dare move his hand from where it was as he held the man’s gaze. A chorus of curses sang in his mind as he stared at this man. Of all the people to find just a pace or two from death in the middle of nowhere, it just had to be the most stunning alpha he’d ever seen or smelled.

The man’s lips trembled as he began to speak again, successfully mouthing the tip of Eren’s finger and eating the paste from his fingertip. “Ymir… y-you…’m d-dead?”

“You’re not dead,” Eren said as he quickly pulled his hand back and concentrated on grinding more berries. “I’m not Ymir. My name’s Eren.”

“B-beauty…you’re s-so b-beautiful.”

Eren jerked his head up at that one.

The man licked his lips and suffered a particularly violent shudder. “H-h-have t-t-t-to b-be…b-be her.” 

Eren leaned closer to the man. His eyes were grey alright, but more importantly, they were glazed over with wide pupils. Ah. He was still delirious. Eren tried to ignore the pang in his stomach at the realization. The man probably wouldn’t remember any of this once he woke up again. Which was probably for the best! Who tells a stranger they just met they’re as beautiful as a god?

Chuckling to himself, Eren started grinding out more of the paste. “Stop talking,” he said. “With shivers like yours, this time you’re really going to bite your tongue off.” Instead of speaking, the man groaned and tried to lick his lips for more berry paste. He was probably thirsty by now, but until he was alert and lucid again, drink and food probably weren’t the smartest of moves. So, Eren settled for smearing more grounded berries along the man’s lip.

They stayed in silence for a little while, the exceptions being the low moan of wind outside and the occasional huff from one of the dogs. It was probably Titan; she hated late meals and Eren knew hers was past due. The man didn’t try to speak again as he ate his fill in crushed berries from Eren’s fingers. He couldn’t help but wonder if his scent was mixing in with the paste. Did the alpha—no did the _man—_ like it? It didn’t matter if he did; it’s not like he was eating the berries for Eren’s scent. But he couldn’t help but be curious. It was natural to be curious. He became a Healer because he was curious. That’s it. That was the only reason why he wanted to know. Just for curiosity’s sake.

Eren sighed and looked down at the man. He was eating the paste slower now, taking longer amounts of time to lick it off his lip. His eyes were only half-open too. He must be getting tired again. Wiping his fingers on the stone, Eren placed it aside and tried not to stare at the man’s now reddened lips. “Go to sleep.”

The man merely nodded and let his eyes drift shut. Eren didn’t move for a moment as he watched the man slip into whatever dream he might be having. He almost wanted to sleep again too, but a loud bark pulled him back. Right. He had things to do.

* * *

The rest of the day passed without much excitement. Eren fed the dogs plenty of fish to keep their strength up and even managed to get the red and white dog to eat some of it. Titan and Rogue ran out of the hut as soon as they finished eating and spent most of the sun hours rolling around and frolicking in the snow. Eren joined them as he checked the sled again. There wasn’t much room on it to load all of the skins and bones of the hut and the man. Actually, he hadn’t thought much about weight. He’d have to fashion a coat of sorts for the white and red dog to wear as they traveled so it could help with the pulling. It took several trips inside and outside to get the right measurements and find a piece of expendable caribou skin, but by the time the sky changed colors and the moon began its climb, Eren had a nice dog parka going.

After rounding up Titan and Rogue and ushering them inside, Eren grabbed the water pot and trudged outside once more. He filled it about halfway with undisturbed white snow, careful all the while not to let any bugs or debris hide in the snow he packed in. Heading back inside, he greeted the dogs again with a hushed hello and put the pot over the entrance Firebowl. It was the only one large enough to cook a soup over, and he was getting tired of the same fish off-the-bone meal he’d have the last two evenings.

As the water began melting, Eren retrieved yet another fish to begin preparing. He hummed as he cut and cleaned it with his knife, setting the organs aside for later; the dogs usually loved to eat some of the liver after a day’s run. With his fingers, he picked off pieces of flesh to add into the pot, occasionally sneaking a quick nibble here and there. He was careful not to toss in any bone by accident; soup was always better without a crunch. Although this wouldn’t be much of a soup as much as a broth with fish, he could deal with that. Once he picked the fished clean of any meat, he set the bones aside with the organs. He could probably find use for them later on. With the fish inside the pot, Eren walked over to the small washing basin they kept in the den and washed his hands of blood and slime. After patting them dry on his shirt, he reached out for his medicinal sacks near his bed. He preferred keeping each plant in small separate pouches so it was easier to tell their scents apart, but his mother must’ve tossed each pouch into a larger shouldersack while packing up the den. Eren tried to ignore the twinge of annoyance as he searched through for the cranberry, blackberry, and some bear root. They would all add flavor to the soup so it wasn’t just fish, but the bear root would help increase the man’s appetite when he managed to eat some.

Eren didn’t take out too many of each, just enough to flavor the soup. He didn’t have that much medicine since he gave the bulk of the supplies to his mother for the pack. Once he picked out the right berries and bear root, Eren set them down in front of the bowl. But of course, he forgot something. He needed to wash his knife.

Wearing a look of resignation, Eren got up to cross the den and wash in the basin, but he paused at a low groan. Eren left his knife along the edge of the basin and stepped closer to the man, who was squirming in under the mound of furs.

“…the fuck?”

Eren swallowed thickly and knelt beside the man. “Calm down, you’re safe.”

Eyelids snapped open revealing gray eyes as dark as storm clouds without any glassy shine. There was a long pause as the man looked Eren over. His eyes were sharp as they lingered on his face before taking in the rest of Eren’s body. “W-who are you?” 

Eren shuddered under his gaze. “I’m Eren. I’m a Healer, and I found you out in the middle of nowhere. What’s your name?”

“Levi.”

Eren nodded. “Levi. Okay. Um, so—”

Levi sniffed at the air and licked his lips. “What’s that s-smell?” Eren stiffened at the words. _How vulgar!_ “Are you cooking?” _Oh._

“Yes,” Eren rushed out. “Yes, food. I’m making a fish and berry soup. It should sit fine on your stomach and warm you up nicely.”

Levi nodded and suppressed a shiver. “D-does it have black currant berries in it?”

“No, my stores ran out.” _Because I ate them all._

“That’s f-fine. They make me itch all over if I eat them.” Suddenly, Levi lurched up. His eyes were wide and the furs once wrapping him finally slipped off his shoulder. “Isabel. Have you seen her? She’s my dog, red and white fur.”

Eren raised his hands in caution as he tried to ease Levi back down. “Yes, yes, she’s fine. She over there with my dogs,” he said as he pointed to the pile of dogs behind him with his thumb. “I made her a parka.”

Levi didn’t seem to hear him, too preoccupied with whistling lowly once he caught sight of his dog. Before Eren could even turn around to see if the whistle was working, he heard a rustle and happy howl before seeing a wall of red and white fur jump on Levi. Isabel knocked Levi back, tail wagging hard enough to slap Eren’s face and leave a sting. She nuzzled her nose under his chin, licking at the little bit of skin she could.

Levi laughed and cooed under all the weight and Eren felt his breathing hitch again. He could listen to Levi laugh all day. But he wouldn’t. Levi was a stranger. And an alpha. But perhaps most importantly, Eren _just_ got out of a mating trial. Making heart eyes at another alpha would not be received well by anyone, especially when no one else was there to observe their behavior. Eren forced himself to continue breathing in and out and prayed that his scent didn’t let his interest known. It probably wasn’t even real interest, at least, not really. Winter was approaching and with it came heat season. The familiar aches and pains in his joints had yet to start, but attraction to alphas was always a warning indicator for Eren that his heat was on the horizon. With his crappy streak of luck lately, he could only give his very best offerings so that his didn’t arrive while he was migrating with Levi.

A raspy cough jarred Eren out of his musings. The dog—Isabel—had climbed off of Levi and was now sitting behind him, tail still wagging hard. Levi laid back against her, now sitting up and facing Eren. With one hand he hadn’t stopped stroking Isabel’s fur but with the other, he tugged the furs closer around him, going as far as bringing them back up to his neck. Eren leaned in to help lift the furs, but Levi pushed his hands away right before coughing into the spot they once were. With a slight sniffle and a muttered curse, Levi looked up at Eren. “Got any,” he cleared his throat, “any water?”

“Better. I have tea.” Eren bit back a chuckle as Levi’s eyebrows shot up. “I took it off the fire a while ago because I didn’t want to make it too strong or have all of the water to steam out, but it should still be warm.” With the same caribou hoof he used to fill the heating dish, Eren scooped up some of the lukewarm tea and held it to Levi’s lips. Lips that he wouldn’t need to touch with his fingers anymore. Pity.

“Thanks,” Levi grunted and reached for the cup with a trembling hand. He drank down the beverage eagerly, gulp after gulp until it was finished and he could breathe again. Eren plucked the hoof from Levi’s hand and refilled it. “What kind’s this?”

“I heated Labrador Tea stems to make it,” Eren said as he passed it back to Levi’s waiting hand. “It should help you feel better and clear up anything you keep trying to cough out.”

Levi downed the second hoof and sighed. “’S good. Not that warm though.”

“That’s what the soup’s for. Can’t have you burning your insides after all the trouble I went through to get you warm and awake.”

Levi nodded and set the hoof down. “Is it ready?”

“Should be shortly.”

A comfortable quiet filled the den. The soup bubbled quietly over the fire, and Eren stirred it occasionally, making sure none of the fish sunk to the bottom and accidentally burned. He stood up to collect the two stone bowls his mother left behind and kept a careful eye on Levi. But he soon found that he didn’t need to; Levi was still, eyes slowly moving as he took in every nook and cranny of the den. He looked intently at the skins above them and threaded his fingers through the furs on his lap. Eren fidgeted for a moment. He could’ve tidied up a little more. He’d been leaving things wherever there was space, but what once looked organized now seemed cluttered. Biting his lip, Eren turned away.

Eren filled their bowls with soup and made sure to add more broth than berries to Levi’s. He’d made enough to last tomorrow and hopefully the day after that they’d be on the sled, riding across the tundra. Whether or not this dish lasted while they were traveling, well, he’d worry about that later. Eren handed Levi his bowl and sat down beside him. “Careful. It’s still hot. You shouldn’t eat it until the steam stops.”

Levi frowned at the bowl. The whole thing was steaming. “But it smells good. Probably better than anything I’ve had in a long time.”

Eren lowered his own bowl onto his lap. “How long would you say?”

Levi shrugged. “Maybe last winter? The moons kind of blend together after a while.” 

Eren bugged his eyes at Levi. Last winter? He hadn’t had a good meal since _last winter?_ How couldn’t he—? He didn’t find anyone else with Levi in the snowdrifts. Was he traveling alone? Was he just a bad cook? Did he lose someone he was traveling with? Dozens of other questions flooded his mind, to the point that he didn’t register Levi’s own question until he cleared his throat.

Eren blushed. “Sorry. What did you say?”

“Your dynamic. What is it?”

“I’m an omega,” Eren said, heat beginning to stain his cheeks. “But don’t think for a second that you can take advantage of me. I’ll dump you in the river before you can so much as sniff me and let you freeze.”

“I would never do that.” Levi glared at Eren and tightened his fingers around his bowl. “Omegas are Ymir’s blessings to us all. I would never disrespect you like that.” Silence grew between them as they both waited for their soups to cool. “And I’m an alpha.” 

“I know.”

“You know?”

Eren nodded and rubbed his finger against the side of his bowl. “I washed your clothes. Your scent was, uh…” He could only hope his face wasn’t as red as the berries floating in his soup. “Strong. It’s strong.”

Levi hummed and looked down at his bowl. It wasn’t steaming so much anymore. “So I’ve been told,” he said softly. “So, who’s clothes am I wearing?”

“Mine. They’re for winter, so they should be keeping you pretty warm.”

“They are. Thanks.”

“It’s nothing.”

Hands sturdy, Levi raised the bowl to his lips and gingerly tried a sip. He flinched once the broth actually touched his skin, but didn’t relent, drinking back more of the soup. Eren followed after only another moment’s pause.

Their dinner was a quiet event, only the sounds of famished slurping and pleased groans filled the tent. That and the wind’s howling outside. Eren gulped down the broth in almost no time at all and began scooping out the fish and berries to eat with his fingers. Levi soon mimicked him but Eren pretended not to notice. He merely continued to eat, actually quite pleased with his dish. It wasn’t as good as his mother’s version without the other handful of berries and roots she’d add to the pot, but it wasn’t as horrible as his father the few times he tried to cook them meals. A smile tugged halfheartedly at his lips at the memory and suddenly, Eren was acutely aware of how full and sleepy he was becoming.

Levi sucked his fingers clean as he eyed the pot. “That was delicious.”

Eren shrugged. “It really wasn’t much. I only used what I had laying around. The fish wasn’t even that fresh.”

“Still.” Levi paused to clean off yet another finger, and Eren’s mouth went dry as he watched those lips close yet again around Levi’s finger, pressing lightly but firmly on the skin. “Creation shouldn’t be looked down on. You gave new meaning to this fish and fruit.”

Eren shrugged and stood to begin cleaning up. He easily plucked Levi’s bowl from his clinging grip and stacked it with his own before placing them beside the entrance Firebowl. He placed a lid on the soup pot and quickly shuffled it off the fire and onto the ground so it wouldn’t burn overnight.

“Can I help?”

Eren glanced over his shoulder. “No, it’s alright. Just focus on getting your strength back.” He checked the entrance fire once more, prodding it a little to snuff out some of the extra fire he lit to cook.

“I’m plenty strong.”

“So have some restraint.” Great, now he was really starting to sound like his father. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound rude.”

“It’s fine.”

_Great going, Eren. This is why you’ll never find an alpha to bond with you._ Eren sighed but didn’t bother shaking out the thoughts. They’d keep coming whether he wanted them to or not. Instead, he focused on getting everything else in place. Titan and Rogue were fed and had their pile of furs to sleep on. The bear hide was sufficiently weighted down, despite the wind outside. The bedside Firebowl was alight and readied to burn overnight. Once everything seemed in order, Eren sat down on the bed of furs. Levi wasn’t watching him, content to stroke Isabel’s fur and watch her ears twitch.

“Hey, um,” Eren faltered again when Levi looked at him. When the man was still delirious, he had no problem ordering him around but now that he was alert, Eren could barely get his words out. Levi was too beautiful; it was utterly unfair. “Yeah, um, so for sleep, I only have one spare fur so I’m just going to sleep beside you, okay?”

Levi furrowed his brow. “I don’t need all of these furs. You can take as many as you need.” He started to pull back the furs to offer one to Eren, but Eren leaned close and laid his hand over Levi’s. Temperature. He was touching Levi’s hand to gauge his temperature. Yes, that’s what he needed to focus on.

“You’re still cold,” Eren said in a gentle voice. “Until you’ve warmed up completely, it’s not a good idea to take furs off.”

Levi huffed but didn’t press further. Eren scooted over to his usual spot and laid down, tugging the fur up to his chin. He ate well, ate warmly, and now was ready for sleep to take him. Already, his eyes were struggling to stay open.

“I have more to tell you, but—" Eren paused as a yawn overcame him. “But it can wait until morning. Don’t leave the den and wake me if you need anything.”

Levi shuffled under the furs and for a moment, Eren thought he’d have to repeat himself. But then, Levi hummed in agreement and he closed his eyes. Sleep had yet to pull him under, though, when he heard Levi’s soft voice once more.

“Sleep well, Eren.”

Levi’s good wishes went unheeded. Try as he might’ve to sleep, it was too elusive tonight, which led to Eren finally sneaking outside to sit on a patch of dead, damp grass and watch the sky far above him. The wind had died down and blown much of the recent snow away with it. It almost felt like a normal summer morning. He decided against wearing his heavy winter parka and left his hood and gloves inside as well. It wasn’t a mistake yet. Every now and then he liked feeling the chill creep up his body, numbing his fingers and toes first before encroaching further. If he sat still enough, sometimes he thought he’d turn into ice: a beautiful young man, only entering the prime of his life, frozen and cursed to look up at the stars forever. Eren scoffed under his breath; he sounded like one of the wistfully sad tales Historia would tell the pups. Still, even without the ice part, Eren was staring up at the sky. A countless number of stars filled and illuminated its black, inky void. How Armin was able to—no, how _Hanji_ was able to read them would always be something he’d never understand. But maybe that was just one of the many things about Hanji Eren would never understand. To fully comprehend the mystery of Hanji, one needed lifetimes of patience and careful observance. That or you needed to fetch Moblit. 

Eren laughed quietly to himself and decided to abandon that trail of thought. He was, after all, out here to watch the early sky. When he did this, usually he felt at peace. Calm. Breathe in the crisp air and blow it out again. But peace was the last thing on his mind now. He was still distracted by the alpha sleeping in his bed. Levi was sleeping soundly, probably not worrying about anything now that he was fed and had some shelter from the wind and snow. 

Eren turned over the damp grass under his fingertips. He didn’t regret staying to save Levi’s life, not even for a second. Levi was alive because of his actions. He brought someone back from the Dancing Paths entirely on his own. It was only natural to be a little prideful of that. But he wasn’t quite sure if he had understood the true magnitude of the task he had to do now when he first took it on. Crossing the tundra alone… When the alternative was letting Levi freeze to death, it seemed like a simple enough idea. Difficult, sure, but not impossible. But now… Well, now it was as if he resolved to climb the steep cliffs of the mountains ever distant. The physical distance was one thing, but surviving the other challenges was another. He didn’t have that much weaponry to fend off any wolves or polar bears. And with only him and Levi migrating, they wouldn’t be able to spread out and scope out the area for other predators. Every night and day would be a risk. Ymir got them this far. He could only hope that she got them a little while longer.

Eren sighed and stopped playing with the grass. Like always, his eyes were pulled to the moon. It was the waning crescent covering the land in a silvery-white glow from its low place in the sky. Soon the sun would greet it. Almost two days ride away, his mother could be looking at the same sight. Would she be like him, sitting outside and thinking because it’s too strange to sleep in a den that didn’t smell like it should? Would she also have a restless night, like all the ones she had after the sun set on that awful day and no one rode back into the village? Maybe Armin would make her a tea and tell her about the map he left behind. Eren smiled softly. He doubted Carla would stay anywhere other than with Armin. She was practically a third mother to him since he presented as an omega. Erwin and Mike had been too nervous that they wouldn’t be able to fully prepare him for his first heat. Eren clenched his jaw as his eyes began to sting. What were all of them doing now? Did they choose which stories they were going to tell for the first night? He hoped they chose the warrior story; he hated that one. But the story depended on the burning. Did they burn Ymir’s first day offerings yet or were they still picking something good from the haul? 

Eren let his head drop and pressed his forehead against his knees. The cold was beginning to really bite at his ears and fingers. He’d have to go in soon. So much for feeling like summer. Although, it really was more of a normal early winter morning than that of late summer. Squeezing his fingers into a fist, Eren patted the ground gently a few times. He bet his mother was inside her den, sleeping lightly because she had the pack to look after, just like he had Levi to look after. It’s not like he was separated from the pack forever. He needed to focus on what he could do. Right now, he could make sure Levi was still sleeping well. He could ready the fishing gear for once the sun rose. He could warm the soup from last night for a morning meal. He could chart out the map and figure out how they were going to do this.

Eren groaned as he pushed himself up. He stomped his feet against the ground as he rubbed his butt. Consequences of the cold.

By the time Levi finally rose for the day, the sun had passed its highest place in the sky. A quiet groan and rustle under the furs was all the indication Eren got to Levi’s rousing. Eren sat by the bear hide, humming quietly as he worked on honing his spare knife. He finished washing and drying his whalebone blade, but the spare would be for Levi. After the knife was sharpened, he’d have to check on his arrows and bow, see if they needed any repairs.

Slowly, Levi dragged himself up to a sitting position and squinted blearily. He still had bags under his eyes and his hair was stuck in all sorts of directions, but he was awake and staring at Eren.

“Wha-“ he paused to clear his throat. “What’re you doing?”

Eren clutched the blade handle at the rasp in Levi’s voice. Gods, it was so _rough_. So unfair. “I’m-I’m, uh, making some weapons.”

Levi rubbed at his eyes. “What for?”

Right. They had a lot to talk about first. Migration planning first, shameless ogling second. “You’ll want to be more awake than you are now. It’s important.”

Levi stretched his arms over his head and sniffled once. “Tell me. I’m awake.”

Eren frowned but shrugged. “Alright, well. Simply put, we’ve got to move. My pack started on the journey to our winter settlement, and I don’t wish to be too far behind.”

Levi knit his brow in confusion. “A winter settlement?” 

“Yeah.”

“Why don’t you guys just stay...” he gestured around them, “you know, wherever we are?”

Eren let a smile tug at his lips as he set down the blade and the rock he was using to sharpen it. “It’s our way to follow the caribou. Where they go, we go. The caribou go down to the forest for winter, so we do the same. Does your pack not do the same?”

Levi pressed his lips together for a moment. “You said far behind. Did your pack abandon you?”

“No, they would never do that. One of the Pack Leaders wasn’t too pleased, but it was my idea to stay behind to save your life.” Eren valiantly fought and failed at stopping the flush that threatened to overtake both cheeks and his ears. There was no need to blush at all; Levi was about to walk the Paths. He had to stay behind. But now that Levi was actually awake and sitting in front of him with his hair still sticking every which way but his face stoic and serious, he couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed.

Levi blinked at Eren, his eyes wide again. He furrowed his brow and abruptly started picking at the furs in his lap and averted his eyes. Eren studied Levi’s face closely. He still kept his lips tightly pursed, but there was an undeniable light dusting of pink on his cheeks. A certain sweetness began to fragrance the man’s scent as well. Eren’s heart immediately beat faster at the realization.

_Was he…embarrassed?_

“Thanks,” Levi finally said and flicked his eyes back to Eren’s briefly. He licked his lips quickly and continued. “I don’t really remember what happened for a while. Where did you find me? I think you said something about nowhere?”

Eren chuckled. “Yeah. You were still a long way away from my pack’s settlement and no other pack roams where you were. One of the dogs must’ve sniffed you since you were buried in the snowdrifts. When I found you, you were maybe less than half a day away from death.”

Levi looked up, befuddlement etched into his features. “And you still saved my life?” 

“Yes, I’m a Healer. Honestly, I’m not sure how you managed to survive, even with everything I did. Ymir must be looking after you, Levi.”

“Maybe so, or maybe you are more talented than you know. Thank you, Eren,” Levi said firmly. He clutched the furs in his hands and repeated his grace with even more conviction. “You want to go on this journey, right? To reunite with your pack?” Eren nodded vigorously. “Okay. I will help however I can. I’m a capable hunter and Isabel is a great sled dog. I can fish—”

“You shouldn’t be out in the cold like that,” Eren said almost weakly. He’d never seen Levi this animated. Granted, he hadn’t seen Levi this awake either. “It’s alright, I’ll manage—”

“No,” Levi said with a resolved shake of his head. “Once we start traveling, I’m helping with everything. It’s literally the least I can do after you saved my life.”

“It will be a hard journey,” Eren warned. “We’ll cross the tundra. I’ll lead us alongside the river, but there will be wolves. And foxes. Maybe even some polar bears.”

“Okay.”

“And we’ll be traveling for nearly seven days. Maybe more if it snows again.”

“Nothing that Isabel and I can’t handle. When do you want to leave?”

Eren needed water after how dry his mouth became. Either Levi didn’t understand what he was agreeing to, or he was fully capable of enduring it all. He wanted to help, wanted to ensure Eren got home. Wanting to prove himself as capable. And if that didn’t light a fire of lust under Eren’s ass, than nothing would. Eren let a shudder run through him as he tried to think about anything other than the determined alpha sitting across from him. Maps. Town gossip. Berry tea recipes. Pine needle picking locations. That one time he watched and unfortunately smelled Hanji and Moblit start to eyefuck. And just like that, the heat starting to burn within him cooled to a slight simmer. Hanji was always a surefire way to kill the mood.

Clearing his throat once, Eren took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay. If you’re sure. Um, I want to leave tomorrow, as early as we can. You’re doing well, and the weather has been steady. We should take advantage of it while we can. I’m going to fish today so the dogs have something to keep their strength up once we’re sledding.”

“Should I start packing up?”

Eren bit his lip. Levi’s scent would be on everything if he packed…but that wasn’t a bad thing. “Sure. You could start packing up some things here. Only the things we won’t need to sleep. The bowls and cooking stuff might be dirty, but after a quick rinse you can put them away. Just make sure you keep out the furs, my medicinal supplies, and the weapons.”

Levi rubbed his hands together. “Alright.”

Eren stood and collected the fishing gear that he readied much earlier in the day. Grabbing them and his hood, he made his way back to the bear hide.

“Eren?”

He looked back at Levi, still sitting on the bed and seeming resolute.

“I promise you’ll see your pack again, okay?”

Eren smiled softly. “Thanks, Levi.”

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments are appreciated! 
> 
> tumblr: chibinico


End file.
